Fabric storage device



Sept. 6, 1966 N. R. HARRIS 3,270,791

FABRIC STORAGE DEVICE Filed April 1, 1964 I N VENTOR (IA NANCY $2 HAR IE3 7712: H a amiwc E. ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,270,791 FABRICSTORAGE DEVICE Nancy R. Harris, 200 Poplar Lane, Richmond, Va. FiledApr. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 356,399 Claims. (Cl. 150-52) This inventionrelates to improvement in the storage of fabrics and more particularlyto a device adapted to store and maintain in an unsoiled conditioncertain relatively delicate fabric articles.

In the average household there frequently is a problem of where to storefabric articles, such as table place mats, after they have beenlaundered and neatly pressed. All too often the place mats, and for thatmatter fabric table napkins and the like, are placed haphazardly in adrawer for storage and consequently, as the drawer is opened and closeda number of times and articles removed therefrom, there is a tendencyfor the place mats to become rumpled and soiled. Therefore, when thetime comes to use the stored place mats and like articles there is needfor additional pressing to make them presentable for use.

The above problems are encountered in many diverse areas other than thehome, especially wherever fabric goods need to be stored for indefiniteperiods of time. Such areas, for example, maybe where church altarcloths or vestments are used and where salesmen carry about numeroussamples of fabric articles that need to be in perfect condition uponpresentation, yet after being kept in a sample case these samples may bequite rumpled.

Therefore, the primary object of this invention is the provision of afabric storage device especially designed to contain, arrange andprotect fabric articles while in storage awaiting use.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a fabric storagedevice that has a generally round central core with a plurality ofsuperimposed flexible sheets attached thereto; each sheet being adaptedto overlay one or more articles and then rolled about the central core.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter which is of simple construction, comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture and eflicient in use.

Further aims, objects and advantages of this invention will appear froma consideration of the following description and the accompanyingdrawings showing for purely illustrative purposes embodiments of thisinvention. It is to be understood, however, that the description is notto be taken in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention beingdefined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a fabric storage device in a rolledcondition in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the fabric storage device in anunrolled condition showing proper placement of certain articles;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical longitudinal fragmentary sectional view takenalong the lines 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical fragmentary section of a second embodiment of thefabric storage device.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several figures, and particularly toFIGURES 1-3 inclusive, there is illustrated the fabric storage device ofthe present invention which is generally indicated by reference numeral10. Comprising the fabric storage device is a central core, or roll 11,which is preferably manufactured of wood or from such stock as pressedwood that is normally commercially available and formed as an elongatedcylinder having a solid core.

To accomplish the heart of the invention of safely "ice storing certainfabric articles, there is provided a pluthe user the sheets 12 should beof a transparent or translucent material whereby the user may be able todetermine at a glance upon unrolling the storage device what articlesare resting therein. Overlying sheets 12 and superimposed therewith is acover 13 of any suitable material such as heavy fabric or even a plasticwhich would adequately serve the purpose of protecting the sheets 12from damage and marring. Cover 13 extends the full length of sheets 12and terminates beyond the bottom end 14 of the sheets a sufiicientdistance, indicated by 15, to provide an overlap when the storage device10 is in a rolled condition. In addition the cover has marginal edges13a, 13b that extend to some degree beyond the sheets 12 to providetransverse protection to the sheets.

At the head end 16 of the sheets 12, the cover 13 forms an extensionreverse underflap 17, folded about fold line 17a, to lie between cover13 and the adjacent sheet. The purpose of the underflap 17 is to providea concealed fastening area so as to present a pleasing appearance. Tofasten the sheets 12 and cover 13 to the roll 11, suitable fasteningelements 18 are positioned through underflap 17 then through each of thesheets 12 near the head end 16 and driven into the wooden roll 11. Ofcourse, it is recognized that the fastening elements 18, while shown inFIGURES 2 and 3 as staples, may be of any construction that provides afirm retention of sheets 12 and cover 13 to the roll 11 and it should benoted that as many or as few of the fastening elements 18 needed toaccomplish the desired result may be used.

Spaced transversely of and upon the overlap 15 01 cover 13 are a pair oftie straps 21, 22, each comprising elongated highly flexible tie halves21a, 21b and 22a, 22b respectfully, which are preferably secured bystitching to the cover 13 wherein each half is spaced longitudinally ofthe cover with respect to the other half. When the storage device 10 isin a rolled condition such as is shown in FIGURE 1, the tie halves 21a,21b and 22a, 22b are placed around the periphery of the rolled member inopposite directions in order that when the tie halves are secured to oneanother forming the straps 21, 22, the completed strap overlies thebottom edge 23 of cover 13 to maintain the rolled device 10 in thedesired storage condition.

Whenever it is desired to use the instant invention to storesubstantially flat fabric articles the procedure to follow wouldgenerally be to unroll the device 10 to a position similar to that shownin FIGURE 2. Once the device 10 is unrolled the entire stack of sheets12 would be lifted to expose the cover 13, or alternatively, the bottommost sheet 12 would be left in position to protect a stored article frombeing placed adjacent cover 13. Once the sheets 12 are in a liftedposition the articles to be stored would be placed alternatively betweeneach of the separate sheets 12 until the articles are exhausted or untilspaces between the sheets are exhausted. In the embodiment shown thereintable place mats, generally indicated by numeral 24, are the articlesdesired to be stored and, as seen especially in FIGURE 2, the place mats24 are alternately placed between the separate sheets 12 in a stackedsuperimposed relation of one place mat between two sheets. As the placemats are placed between the sheets the next top sheet is then laid uponthe top portion of the place mat which then allows another place mat tobe placed within the device. After this is done the next top most sheetwould be then laid upon the most recently inserted place mat and such aprocedure continues until either the articles to be stored or the remaining spaces between the sheets are exhausted. At such time the user wouldthen commence to roll the core 11 longitudinally of the sheet 12 and thestored articles 24 until the entire device is in a rolled cylindricalconfig uration such as is shown in FIGURE 1. At this time tie halves21a, 21b and 22a, 22b are placed around the completed cylindrical shapeand tied in a suitable knot to complete the tie straps 21, 22. When thestorage device is in 6. rolled configuration it can be seen that ittaken only a small amount of storage space and When used for such smallarticles as table mats the entire device may be stored in a normal sizecabinet or chest of drawers.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown by FIGURE 4 havinga central core or roll 25 which is preferably manufactured from asuitable relatively hard and non-flexible plastic having a centralaperture longitudinally therethrough. The plurality of superimposedco-extensive thin flexible sheets 26 are preferably of the same materialas the sheets 12 in the previously described embodiment, in any eventthey should be a plastic material. However, here it is anticipated andrequired that the outer cover 27 be also made of a relatively thin andflexible plastic material. The material for the cover 27 could obviouslybe of any desired color and could be imprinted upon manufacturing with afabric relief design or any other such texture as may be desired. Tosecure the sheets 26 and cover 27 to the central core 25, a heat bondingmethod would be used, that is, the sheets and the cover would be stackedin a co-extensive relation and then bonded or welded to the roll 25 byany of the well known methods of plastic bonding known in the art. Sucha method would actually fuse together the core 25, sheets 26, cover 27at predetermined points 28 along the transverse Width of cover 27. Ineffect all material beneath points 28 would be bonded to one anotherwhich would firmly and securely attach the sheets and the cover to thecore 25.

From the above description it is seen that there is provided anextremely useful and novel fabric storage device designed to contain,arrange and protect fabric articles while in storage awaiting use andthat such device will effect the foregoing objects of the invention.

Various modifications may be made in the invention without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof, and it is desired, therefore, thatonly such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by theprior art and are set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device adapted to be rolled into a cylindrical configuration forstoring fabric articles and the like comprising, an elongatedcylindrical core member, a plurality of stacked superimposedco-extensive thin flexible sheets adapted to be separated for theinsertion and retention of substantially fiat articles therebetween, aflexible cover member superimposed with one side of the stack of sheets,the cover having a pair of marginal edges and first and second endedges, the first cover end edge being substantially co-extensive with afirst edge of the sheets, the second end edge extending beyond theperipheral extent of the stack of sheets to provide an overlap, thefirst cover end edge having an extension underflap folded about a foldline and positioned between the stack of sheets and the cover, meansfixedly securing the first edge of the co-extensive sheets and firstcover end edge to the core member, the securing means comprisingelongated fasteners projecting through the underflap and the stack ofsheets and terminating in the core member, and tie means mounted to theoverlap of the cover whereby the tie means are adapted to secure thedevice in a cylin drical configuration.

2. A device adapted to be rolled into a cylindrical configuration forstoring fabric articles and the like comprising, an elongatedcylindrical core member, a plurality of stacked superimposedco-extensive thin flexible sheets adapted to be separated for theinsertion and retention of substantially flat articles therebetween, aflexible cover member superimposed with one side of the stack of sheets,the cover having a pair of marginal edges and first and second endedges, the first cover end edge being substantially co-extensive with afirst edge of the sheets, the second end edge extending beyond theperipheral extent of the stack of sheets to provide an overlap, thefirst cover end edge having an extension underflap folded about a foldline and positioned between the stack of sheets and the cover, meansfixedly securing the first edge of the co-extensive sheets and firstcover end edge to the core member, the securing means comprisingelongated fasteners projecting through the underflap and the stack ofsheets and terminating in the core member, and a pair of elongatedhighly flexible tie straps affixed to the overlap, each tie strapcomprising tie halves spaced upon the overlap in a plane perpendicularto the longitudinal center line of the core member whereby the tie meansare adapted to secure the device in a cylindrical configuration.

3. A device adapted to be rolled into a cylindrical configuration forstoring fabric articles and the like comprising, an elongatedcylindrical core member, a plurality of stacked semi-transparentsuperimposed co-extensive thin flexible sheets adapted to be separatedfor the insertion and retention of substantially flat articlestherebetween, a flexible cover member superimposed with one side of thestack of sheets, the cover having a pair of marginal edges and first andsecond end edges, the first cover end edge being substantiallyco-extensive with a first edge of the sheets, the second end edgeextending beyond the peripheral extent of the stack of sheets to providean overlap, the first cover end edge having an extension underflapfolded about a fold line and positioned between the stack of sheets andthe cover, means fixedly securing the first edge of the co-extensivesheets and first cover end edge to the core member, the securing meanscomprising elongated fasteners projecting through the underflap and thestack of sheets and terminating in the core member, and a pair ofelongated highly flexible tie straps affixed to the overlap, each tiestrap comprising tie halves spaced upon the overlap in a planeperpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the core member,whereby the tie means are adapted to secure the device in a cylindricalconfiguration.

4. A device adapted to be rolled into a cylindrical configuration forstoring fabric articles and the like comprising, a plastic elongatedcylindrical thin walled core member having an aperture longitudinallytherethrough, a plurality of stacked superimposed co-extensive thinflexible plastic sheets adapted to be separated for the insertion andretention of substantially flat articles therebetween, a flexible covermember superimposed with one side of the stack of sheets, the coverhaving a pair of marginal edges and first and second end edges, thefirst cover end edge being substantially co-extensive with a first edgeof the sheets, the second end edge extending beyond the peripheralextent of the stack of sheets to provide an overlap, means fixedlysecuring the first edge of the co-extensive sheets and first cover endedge to the core member, the securing means comprising heat bonding thecover and the sheets to the core member along a line parallel to a planepassing through the longitudinal center line of the core and tie meansmounted to the overlap of the cover whereby the tie means are adapted tosecure the device in a cylindrical configuration.

5. A device adapted to be rolled into a cylindrical configuration forstoring fabric articles and the like comprising, a plastic elongatedcylindrical thin walled core member having an aperture longitudinallytherethrough, a plurality of stacked semi-transparent superimposedcoextensive thin flexible plastic sheets adapted to be separated for theinsertion and retention of substantially flat articles therebetween, aflexible cover member superimposed With one side of the stack of sheets,the cover having a pair of marginal edges and first and second endedges, the first cover end edge being substantially c0- extensive with afirst edge of the sheets, the second end edge extending beyond theperipheral extent of the stack of sheets to provide an overlap, meansfixedly securing the first edge of the co-extensive sheets and the firstcover end edge to the core member, the securing means comprising heatbonding the cover and the sheets to the core member along a lineparallel to a plane passing through the longitudinal center line of thecore and a pair of elongated highly flexible tie straps afiixed to theoverlap, each tie strap comprising tie halves spaced upon UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,094,009 4/ 1914 Parkhurst. 2,293,979 8/1942 Hopkins 150-52FOREIGN PATENTS 837,803 5/1952 Germany.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

1. A DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE ROLLED INTO A CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION FORSTORING FABRIC ARTICLES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING, AN ELONGATEDCYLINDRICAL CORE MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF STACKED SUPERIMPOSEDCO-EXTENSIVE THIN FLEXIBLE SHEETS ADAPTED TO BE SEPARATED FOR THEINSERTION AND RETENTION OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT ARTICLES THEREBETWEEN, AFLEXIBLE COVER MEMBER SUPERIMPOSED WITH ONE SIDE OF THE STACK OF SHEETS,THE COVER HAVING A PAIR OF MARGINAL EDGES AND FIRST AND SECOND ENDEDGES, THE FIRST COVER END EDGE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY CO-EXTENSIVE WITH AFIRST EDGE OF THE SHEETS, THE SECOND END EDGE EXTENDING BEYOND THEPERIPHERAL EXTENT OF THE STACK OF SHEETS TO PROVIDE AN OVERLAP, THEFIRST COVER END EDGE HAVING AN EXTENSION UNDERFLAP FOLDED ABOUT A FOLDLINE AND POSITIONED BETWEEN THE STACK OF SHEETS AND THE COVER, MEANSFIXEDLY SECURING THE FIRST EDGE OF THE CO-EXTENSIVE SHEETS AND FIRSTCOVER END EDGE TO THE CORE MEMBER, THE SECURING MEANS COMPRISINGELONGATES FASTENERS PROJECTING THROUGH THE UNDERFLAP AND THE STACK OFSHEETS AND TERMINATING IN THE CORE MEMBER, AND TIE MEANS MOUNTED TO THEOVERLAP OF THE CORE WHEREBY THE TIE MEANS ARE ADAPTED TO SECURE THEDEVICE IN A CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION.